Fabric-finishing apparatus



Nov. 20, 1962 H. MESSINGER FABRIC-FINISHING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1960 FIG?) United states Parent 3,064,459 FABRIC-FINISHING APPARATUS:

Lester H. Messinger, Newark, Del., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 5,528 2 Claims. (Cl. 68175) This invention relates generally to the production of fabrics and, more particularly, to an apparatus for the wet-finishing of such fabrics, especially those which are constructed from a preponderance of man-made filamentary material.

7 According to known procedures, fabrics are finished either by a continuous process in which they are maintained under varying degrees of tension or in a batch process which involves tumbling. The treatment of fabrics under tension always leads to subsequent changes in dimensions due to the gradual relief of these tensions when the fabric is placed in use or laundered. The principal disadvantage of a batch process is the amount of time and materials involved in finishing, with acceptable results, a relatively limited quantity of fabric.

The term finishing, as used herein, is intended to include such operations as scouring, heat setting, dyeing and the like which operations include the immersion of the fabric in an appropriate finishing medium.

This invention has as its most important object the provision of an apparatus for the rapid finishing of fabrics while under no restrictive forces or tensions and in which the fabric is stabilized against further changes in its dimensions during use.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which the fabric being finished is worked in such a manner that an aqueous finishing medium is driven positively through the fabric first from one side and then from the other with the result that liquid penetration is greatly accelerated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fabric-finishing apparatus in the use of which fabric is relaxed and compacted to such an extent as to substantially reduce the puckering which often appears as seams are sewed or at the seam of a finished garment or the like.

With these and other objects in view, the fabric-finishing apparatus of the invention comprises generally a bath, suitable rolls for advancing a fabric continuously through the bath, a pair of screens between which the fabric travels in the bath, and means mounting the screens for oscillatory motion. The screens are angularly disposed and divergent in the direction of fabric travel so that the fabric-advancing action of the screens is somewhat faster in the initial portion of its travel between the screens. The process comprises the steps of advancing fabric lengthwise through a bath and working the continuously advancing fabric by imparting an oscillatory motion to an immersed length thereof.

Additional objects will become apparent in the description which follows wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an apparatus made in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational section of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of one of the screens shown in FIG. 2.

The apparatus embodiment chosen for illustration includes as components thereof an open-top tank 10, suitable rolls for advancing a fabric continuously to and from tank 10, and a fabric-Working arrangement designated broadly by the numeral 12. Tank 10 contains a suitable aqueous finishing medium as shown in FIG. 2.

At one end of tank 10, there is mounted a fabric supply roll 14 from which fabric 16 travels continuously to driven feed rolls 18 which deliver the fabric to tank 10. A second pair of driven rolls 20 draws the finished fabric from tank 10.

The working arrangement 12 is suspended from a plurality of uprights 22 and a pair of longitudinals 24. In each pair of uprights 22, there is journaled a shaft 26 which is rotatably driven by a prime mover (not shown) through a pulley 28. The shafts 26 are run in counter rotation so as to maintain horizontal balance in the arrangement 12. Each end of each shaft 26 carries an eccentric 30 which receives one end of a primary link 32. The primary links 32 are pivotally attached at their opposite ends to an open frame 34 on which is mounted a screen 38 (FIG. 3). A second frame 40 also mounts a screen 38 and is pivotally suspended from frame 34 by pairs of secondary links 42, 44. With the frames suspended in this manner, the screens are rigidly supported in a spaced, opposed relationship. The effective length of links 42 is less than that of links 44 with the result that the frames 34, 49 diverge from left to right (FIG. 2). A plate 46 depends from each longitudinal 24 and has thereon a pair of opposed guide tracks .8, 50 which slidably mount bars 52, 54. The vertical position of bars 52, 54 depends on the angular position of a walking beam 56 which is pivotally attached to plate 46 and has thereon an indicator 58. A pair of swing links 60, 62 are pivotally attached at opposite ends to one of the frames 34, 40 and to one of the bars 52, 54. The bars 52, 54 and swing links 60, 62 thus form part of an adjustable control linkage.

In operation, fabric 16 is delivered continuously and in a slack condition to the bath by feed rolls 18 and travels between screen frames 34, 40. The liquid in the bath varies according to the particular finishing operation. Through the working arrangement 12, the screens are oscillated rapidly. The swing link 60 gives a forward component of motion to the frame 34 on each downward stroke and a reverse component on each upward stroke. Similarly, swing link 62 gives a forward component to frame 40 on each upward stroke and a reverse component on each downward stroke. The amount of forward motion imparted in each cycle is governed by the position of walking beam 56. Since the space between the screens is less at the end where the fabric enters, the forward motion imparted to the fabric by the reciprocating screens at that end is correspondingly larger. This differential feed rate results in some compression or compaction of the fabric. Eccentrics 30 are so arranged that each screen will be at or near its maximum speed when it hits the fabric and drives it through the medium. At the completion of each stroke, the working arrangement 12 reverses its motion and the fabric will float until it receives an impact from the other screen. Since the resistance of the fabric to the medium is much greater than that of the screens 38, most of the work is consumed in driving the aqueous medium through the fabric. With the apparatus shown in the drawings, the finishing operation is completed while the fabric is between the screens.

According to the process of the invention, a length of fabric is delivered to a bath in a slack condition, i.e., while under no restrictive forces. This may be done continuously and without periodic interruptions of the process if successive lengths are joined. An immersed length of the fabric is worked and the fabric is advanced in the bath by imparting to the immersed length a rapid oscillatory motion. With each stroke of each oscillation, the length being worked is forced through the finishing medium in a direction substantially normal to its surface. During each stroke, there is also a component of motion serving to advance the fabric through some small a fraction of the worked length. Even though the fabric is relaxed and in a slack condition, the violent and intimate association between it and the finishing medium results in rapid processing of the fabric. The processed fabric is withdrawn from the bath continuously in a slack condition. Before finishing, it is usually desirable to boil off the fabric so that it will be thoroughly pre-wet. Sometimes, it is also desirable to boil oil? the fabric after it has been finished. In view of the fabric-advancing, component of motion in each working stroke, the fabric is further relaxed and somewhat compacted during its travel through the bath. The rate of withdrawal from the bath is correspondingly less than the'rate of delivery. It is apparent-that these factors will vary according to the particular fabric being treated and the finishing medium which is employed.

The process and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in so far as they permit a more effective finishing operation at a greatly accelerated rate. The impact finishing imparts a relaxed compaction to either heavyor light-weight fabrics and results in equalization of the crimp in both directions in woven and knitted fabrics. Consequently,-the finished fabrics have better cover, are more dimensionally stable in their subsequent use and at the same time are more resilient and elastic. The compaction and resiliency of the finished fabrics practically eliminates the problem of seam-puckering.

Both the process and apparatus may be used for finishing woven, knitted and non-woven fabrics in any one or more of the typical finishing operations. The fabric may be composed of any synthetic or natural staple fibers or filaments or of blends thereof. The individual fibers and filaments may be crimped or uncrimped, drawn or undrawn, bulked or unbulked. Particularly good results are obtained by finishing fabrics composed either entirely of man-made filamentary material or of a blend of at least 50% man-made filamentary material combined with lesser amounts of natural fibers and/or cellulose derivative fibers.

Iclaim:

1. In a fabric-finishing apparatus including a tank and means for continuously advancing fabric through the tank in a slack condition, a fabric-working arrangement comprising: a pair of rigid foraminous sheets; link means sus pending the sheets within the tank in spaced, opposed relationship; and a drive assembly connected to the link means for reciprocating the latter and therefore the sheets as' fabric travels between and from end-to-end thereof, said link means including a plurality of primary links each pivotally connected to one of said sheets and a plurality of secondary links pivotally suspending the other sheet cause relative movement between the sheets as they are reciprocated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 2 5 1953 list.) 

